Stockpiling talent on a bloated roster is the easy part for any would-be general manager in the NFL. However, New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel and lead personnel executive Eliot Wolf will have to make their toughest decisions yet when it comes to whittling down the main roster to 53 players this summer.

Given the regime change, there will certainly be some surprise training camp cuts. That sets the stage for one of the most competitive summers in recent memory for the Patriots.

They cleared the final hurdle before training camp by wrapping up mandatory minicamp. Now, they’ll turn their attention toward a long break and a July 22 return to begin preparing for the 2025 season. Who will end up making the roster in the end?

Here is my latest 53-man roster projection for the Patriots after minicamp:

Quarterbacks (2): Drake Maye, Joshua Dobbs

Drake Maye is the hopeful franchise quarterback for the foreseeable future, and Joshua Dobbs is the veteran backup and the emergency Plan B option. Rookie Ben Wooldridge’s best bet would probably be convincing the team to sign him back to the practice squad after the initial 53-man roster cuts.

Running Backs (4): Rhamondre Stevenson, TreVeyon Henderson, Antonio Gibson, Lan Larison

Rhamondre Stevenson will spearhead a much-improved offensive backfield for the Patriots in 2025. Rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson is a legitimate home run threat who can run, receive and pass protect. He will likely threaten Antonio Gibson for the No. 2 role in the backfield, while undrafted rookie Lan Larison might carve out some reps as well as a pass-catcher or change-of-pace option.

Tight Ends (3): Hunter Henry, Austin Hooper, Brock Lampe

Hunter Henry and Austin Hooper will be hard to budge from the top of the depth chart. That means the true competition will likely come down between second-year tight end Jaheim Bell and rookie CJ Dippre. Neither player did much to stand out in the early practices. I have the Patriots using the No. 3 spot as an opportunity to keep fullback Brock Lampe on the roster.

Wide Receivers (7): Stefon Diggs, Kyle Williams, Demario Douglas, Kendrick Bourne, Mack Hollins, Kayshon Boutte, Efton Chism III

The Patriots are going to have to make some tough decisions at the wide receiver position. I gave them some wiggle room with seven receivers making the final roster, but there’s a chance they decide to only keep six wideouts. Stefon Diggs, Kyle Williams, Mack Hollins and Demario Douglas are the only surefire bets to make the final roster.

That leaves only two or three spots that are truly up for grabs. Kendrick Bourne should have an edge due to his experience playing in Josh McDaniels’ offense. I’d leave the final two spots for undrafted rookie Efton Chism III and third-year wideout Kayshon Boutte. Chism has been an early standout on the practice field, and Boutte has been one of the team’s most productive receivers.

Offensive line (9): Will Campbell, Morgan Moses, Mike Onwenu, Caedan Wallace, Cole Strange, Vederian Lowe, Jared Wilson, Garrett Bradbury, Jack Conley

I initially had Wes Schweitzer making my 53-man roster as a veteran offensive lineman to contend for the starting left guard job. However, he was recently placed on the reserve/retired list, ending his 2025 run before it even started. That bumps Cole Strage as the favorite to win the starting job and also potentially opens the door for another young offensive lineman to sneak through, like undrafted rookie Jack Conley.

I have Vederian Lowe sticking around strictly for veteran offensive tackle depth, which the Patriots are lacking at the moment.

Defensive Tackles (4): Christian Barmore, Milton Williams, Joshua Farmer, Khyiris Tonga

Patriots coach Mike Vrabel expects the defensive front to be a strength for the Patriots this season. A big reason for that is the huge chunk of the team’s salary invested in its top defensive tackles, Christian Barmore and Milton Williams. The depth at the position is also promising with the team spending a fourth-round draft pick on Florida State‘s Joshua Farmer.

Edge Rushers (5): Harold Landry III, Keion White, Anfernee Jennings, K’Lavon Chaisson, Bradyn Swinson

The Patriots sunk to the bottom of the league as the worst pass-rushing team in football last season. That could turn around in a big way with all of the defensive front additions they’ve made, including adding rookie Bradyn Swinson, K’Lavon Chaisson and Harold Landry. Perhaps the best move was improving the defense enough to keep Keion White in quarterback-hunting mode.

Linebackers (5): Robert Spillane, Jahlani Tavai, Jack Gibbens, Christian Elliss, Marte Mapu

Robert Spillane and Jack Gibbens are the newcomers at linebacker, while Jahlani Tavai and Christian Elliss are still holding down the old guard in New England. Tavai went down with a calf injury at an OTAs practice back in May that is expected to sideline him until training camp. If he returns, he should be able to carve out a spot on the 2025 roster. Meanwhile, Marte Mapu could make a solid case for a role after switching to linebacker.

Cornerbacks (5): Christian Gonzalez, Carlton Davis III, Marcus Jones, Alex Austin, Marcellas Dial Jr.

The defensive backfield is cut and dry with Christian Gonzalez and Carlton Davis III at the top of the depth chart. Marcus Jones gets the job as the top slot receiver, while Alex Austin and Marcellas Dial serve as backups for the Patriots. Spearheaded by an All-Pro and former Super Bowl champion, New England’s cornerback position is more talented than it has been in years.

Safeties (5): Kyle Dugger, Jabrill Peppers, Craig Woodson, Dell Pettus, Jaylinn Hawkins

If the spring practices were any indication, rookie safety Craig Woodson will be pushing for serious reps in training camp. He has consistently made plays in practice since arriving in New England. With that said, the Patriots are loaded at the safety position with players like Kyle Dugger, Jabrill Peppers, Dell Pettus and Jaylinn Hawkins. There’s no doubt that Woodson will land a roster spot, but he’ll have to continue to flash in the summer to get meaningful reps.

Special Teams (4): K Andres Borregales, P Bryce Baringer, LS Julian Ashby, ST Brenden Schooler

The Patriots’ need for more consistent field goal kicking prompted them to use a sixth-round draft pick on Miami kicker Andres Borregales. They also released longtime long-snapper Joe Cardona and drafted Vanderbilt’s Julian Ashby. That makes for two fresh faces on a special teams unit that will still have punter Bryce Baringer and Pro Bowler Brenden Schooler.

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